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WikiPedia Information About IrelandInformation from the WikiPedia.Com Website for Ireland/_TheTownGuide/Index_Layout_Leaders_wiki_Process.xsl {{pp-move-indef}} {{three other uses the island in Europe the sovereign state of the same name Republic of Ireland the constituent part of the United Kingdom Northern Ireland}} {{coord 53 N 07 W type:country display=title}} {{Infobox Islands name = Ireland image name = Ireland from space edit.jpg thumb upright right image caption = True colour image of Ireland, captured by a National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA satellite on 4 January 2003, with the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the Irish Sea to the east. locator map = Ireland (island) in Europe.png map_custom = no native name = Éire / Ireland native name link = Irish language location = Northern Europe or Western Europe{{cite web url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ei.html title=The World Factbook last1= first1= last2= first2= date=2009-11-27 work= publisher=Central Intelligence Agency (USA) accessdate=2010-01-01}} coordinates = area = {{km2 to mi2 84421 abbr=yes}}{{cite web url=http://www.gov.ie/en/essays/geography.html title=Geography of Ireland publisher=Government of Ireland accessdate=2009-11-11 last=Nolan first=William }} rank = 20th coastline = {{convert 3700 km mi abbr=on}} highest mount = Carrauntoohil elevation = {{convert 1041 m ft 0 abbr=on}} official_languages = Irish, English country = {{flag Ireland}} country largest city = Dublin country 2 = {{flag United Kingdom}} country 2 admin divisions title = Constituent country country 2 admin divisions = Northern Ireland country 2 largest city = Belfast population = 6,197,100 population as of = 2008 ethnic groups = Irish people Irish, Ulster Scots people Ulster Scots, Irish TravellersIrish Travellers are an officially recognised ethnic group in Northern Ireland under the Race Relations (Northern Ireland) Order, 1997. In the Republic of Ireland they are classed as a "social group". Census forms in both jurisdictions contain tick-boxes for respondents to describes themselves as being an Irish Traveller. For more information see: * {{cite web url=http: //www.itmtrav.com/Legal-ResourcePack2.html title=Pack 2 - Traveller Culture year=2006 work=Traveller Legal Resource publisher=Irish Traveller Movement accessdate=3 March 2010}} * {{cite web url=http://www.o fmdfmni.gov.uk/race-equality-strategy.pdf title=A Racial Equality Strategy for Northern Ireland 2005-2010 year=2005 publisher=Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister accessdate=3 March 2010}} density = 73ǐ }} '''Ireland''' ({{IPA2 'a?l?nd pron en-us-Ireland.ogg}},; {{lang-ga Éire}}, {{IPA-ga 'e???? pron Eire.ogg}}; Ulster Scots: ''Airlann'') is the List of European islands by area third-largest island in Europe and the List of islands by area twentieth-largest island in the world.{{cite web url=http://islands.unep.ch/Tiarea.htm title=Islands by Area date=1998-02-18 work=UN System-Wide Earthwatch publisher=United Nations Environment Programme accessdate=2008-08-30}} It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islets. To the east of Ireland is the island of Great Britain, separated from it by the Irish Sea. The Republic of Ireland covers five-sixths of the island. Northern Ireland, a part of the United Kingdom, covers the remainder and is located in the northeast of the island. The population of Ireland is estimated to be 6ǎ million. Slightly fewer than 4Ǒ million are estimated to live in the Republic of Ireland and slightly fewer than 1ǔ million are estimated to live in Northern Ireland.The 2008 population of the Republic of Ireland was estimated to be 4,422,100 and that of Northern Ireland was estimated to be 1,775,000. The 2009 estimate for the Republic of Ireland is 4,459,300 persons. An official 2009 estimate for Northern Ireland has not yet been prepared. These estimates from the official governmental statistics agencies in the respective jurisdictions: * {{cite web url=http://www.cso.ie/releasespubli cations/documents/population/current/popmig.pdf title=Population and Migration Estimates publisher=Central Statistics Office location=Dublin year=2009 }} * {{cite web url=http://www.nisra.gov.uk/archiv e/demography/population/midyear/mye_report_2008.pdf title=Population and Migration Estimates Northern Ireland (2008) author=Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency publisher=Department of Finance and Personnel location=Belfast year=2008 accessdate=2010-01-11}} This is a significant increase from a modern historical low of 4ǎ million in the 1960s but still much lower than the peak population of over 8 million in the mid-19th century prior to the Great Famine (Ireland) Great Famine.{{cite web url= http://memory. loc.gov/learn//features/immig/irish2.html title= Irish-Catholic Immigration to America date= 2007-05-07 work= Immigration… publisher= Library of Congress accessdate=2010-01-01}} Relatively low-lying mountains surrounding a central plain epitomise Ireland's geography with several navigable rivers extending inland. The island has lush vegetation, a product of its mild but changeable oceanic climate, which avoids extremes in temperature. Thick woodlands covered the island until the 1600s. Today, it is the most deforested area in Europe. Twenty-six mammal species are native to Ireland, with some, such as the red fox, hedgehog and badger, being very common. Others, like the Mountain Hare Irish hare, red deer and pine marten are less so. A Norman invasion of Ireland Norman invasion in the Middle Ages gave way to Tudor reconquest of Ireland English domination by the 1500s. In the 1700s, a system of Protestant Ascendancy Protestant English rule was designed to materially disadvantage the Roman Catholic majority and Protestant dissenters. In 1801, Ireland became Countries of the United Kingdom a part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland United Kingdom. A Irish War of Independence war of independence in the early 20th century led to the Partition of Ireland partition of the island, creating the Irish Free State, which became increasingly sovereign over the following decades. Northern Ireland remained a part of the United Kingdom and saw much The Troubles civil unrest from the late 1960s until the 1990s. This subsided following Good Friday Agreement a political agreement in 1998. In 1973, both parts of Ireland joined the European Economic Community European Community. The Republic of Ireland experienced Celtic tiger unprecedented economic growth from the mid-1990s until the 2008–2010 Irish financial crisis.http://www. esri.ie/UserFiles/publications/20090429104918/QEC2009Spr_ES.pdf Irish culture has had a significant influence on culture world-wide, particularly in the fields of literature and, to a lesser degree, science and learning. A strong Irish culture indigenous culture exists, as expressed for example through Gaelic games native sports and the Irish language, alongside a common Western culture Western culture, such as contemporary music and drama, and sports such as Rugby football rugby and golf. {{TOClimit limit=3}} GeographyPolitical geographyfor the political history of the island, see History of Ireland; for other political institutions, see Politics of the Republic of Ireland and Demography and politics of Northern Ireland}} {{Counties of Ireland imagemap thumb=yes position=right upright=1Ǒ caption=A map of the 32 traditional counties of Ireland, showing the 26 counties of the Republic of Ireland (dark green) and the 6 counties of Northern Ireland (light green). {{hide in print 1=Each of the counties on the map are a clickable link to the article on that county.}}}} Ireland is occupied by two political entities: * The Republic of Ireland, ratified 21 January 1919 and officially formed on the 6 December 1922, (Names of the Irish state officially ''Ireland''), a sovereign state that covers five-sixths of the island. Its capital (political) capital is Dublin. * Northern Ireland, established on the 3 May 1921, is a part of the United Kingdom that covers the remaining sixth. Its capital is Belfast. Traditionally, Ireland is subdivided into Provinces of Ireland four provinces: Connacht (west), Leinster (east), Munster (south), and Ulster (north). In a system that developed between the 13th and 17th centuries,{{cite book last =Crawford first =John title =Anglicizing the Government of Ireland: The Irish Privy Council and the Expansion of Tudor Rule 1556-1578 publisher =Irish Academic Press year =1993 isbn=0716524988 }} Ireland has Counties of Ireland thirty-two traditional counties. Twenty-six of the counties are in the Republic of Ireland and Counties of Northern Ireland six counties are in Northern Ireland. The six counties that constitute Northern Ireland are all in the province of Ulster (which has nine counties in total). As such, ''Ulster'' is often used as a synonym for Northern Ireland, although the two are not coterminous. In the Republic of Ireland, counties form the basis of the system of local government. Counties County Dublin Dublin, County Cork Cork, County Limerick Limerick, County Galway Galway, County Waterford Waterford and County Tipperary Tipperary have been broken up into smaller administrative areas. However, they are still treated as counties for cultural and some official purposes, for example post and by the Ordnance Survey Ireland. Counties in Northern Ireland are no longer used for local governmental purposes,{{cite web url=http://www.gazetteer.co.uk/section1.htm title=The Gazetteer of British Place Names: Main features of the Gazetteer publisher=www.gazetteer.co.uk accessdate=2010-01-23 }} but, as in the Republic, their traditional boundaries are still used for informal purposes such as sports leagues and in cultural or tourism contexts as well as in addresses.{{cite web url= http://www.discovernort hernireland.com/destinationNI/byCounty.aspx title= NI by County date= work=Discover Northern Ireland publisher= Northern Ireland Tourist Board accessdate=2010-01-01}} City status in Ireland is decided by legislation legislative or royal charter. Dublin, with just over 1 million residents in the Greater Dublin Area, {{cite book title=Census 2006 Volume 1 - Population Classified by Area: Tables 7 and 12 url=http://www .cso.ie/census/documents/census2006_Table_7_and_12.pdf pages=Table 12, p됻: Alphabetical list of Towns with their population, 2002 and 2006 format=PDF author=Central Statistics Office date=26 April 2007 accessdate=2007-09-15 nopp=true}} is the largest city on the island. Cities in Ireland Other cities are:{{cite web url=http://ww w.nisranew.nisra.gov.uk/Census/Excel/ks_settlements/ks07a_com_st.xls title=Table KS07a: Religion (Numbers) publisher=National Research and Statistics Agency location=Belfast accessdate=2010-01-11}} * Belfast (pop. 276,459) * Cork (city) Cork (pop. 190,384){{PDFlink [http://www.cso.ie/census/docum ents/census2006_volume_1_pop_classified_by_area.pdf Census 2006] 4ሎ MB}}, Government of Ireland * Derry (pop. 110,768) * Limerick (pop. 90,800) * Galway (pop. 72,700) * Lisburn (pop. 71,465) * Waterford (pop. 49,200) * Newry (pop. 27,433) * Armagh (pop. 14,590) Kilkenny (pop. 22,179), while strictly no longer a city, is entitled by law to describe itself as such. Several towns have larger populations than some of these cities but are not recognised as cities because they lack historic charters or legal status. { class="wikitable sortable" - ! Province !! PopulationThese figure reflect the 2006 census of population for the Republic of Ireland and the 2006 estimate of population for Northern Ireland. * {{cite web url= http://www.cso.ie/census/documents/Final%20Principal%20Demographic%20Results%202006.pdf title=Principal Demographic Results work=Census 2006 author=Central Statistics Office publisher=Stationary Office location=Dublin year=2007 accessdate=2010-01-11}} * {{cite web url=http://www&# 46nisra.gov.uk/archive/demography/publications/qtr_report/qtr4_2007.pdf title=The Registrar General's Quarterly Report author=Northern Ireland Research and Statistics Agency publisher=National Statistics year=2007 accessdate =2010-01-11}} !! Area (km²){{cite web url= http://www.cso.ie/statistics/areabyprovince.htm title=Area by Province work=Principal Statistics publisher=Central Statistics Office location=Cork accessdate =2010-01-11}} !! Density (p/km²) !! Largest city - align=left Connacht 503,083 17,713 28 Galway - align=left Leinster 2,292,939 19,801 100 Dublin - align=left Munster 1,172,170 24,608 48 Cork (city) Cork - align=left Ulster 2,008,333 22,300 90 Belfast } = All-island institutionspolitical partition, the island of Ireland continues to act as a single entity in a number of areas that transcend governmental agencies. The two jurisdictions share a transport, telecommunications, energy and water systems. With a few notable exceptions, this island is the main organisational unit for major Religion in Ireland religious, cultural and sporting organizations. The island fields a single international team in most sports, for example, and March 17 is celebrated throughout Ireland as the traditional Irish holiday of St. Patrick's Day. One notable exception to this is Association football, although both associations continued to field international teams under the name "Ireland" until the 1950s. An all-Ireland club competition for soccer, the Setanta Cup, was created in 2005. The 1998 Belfast Agreement provides for political co-operation between the two jurisdictions. The North-South Ministerial Council, established under the agreement, is an institution through which Government minister ministers from the Government of Ireland and the Northern Ireland Executive can formulate all-island policies in twelve "areas of co-operation" such as agriculture, the environment and transport. Six of these policy areas have associated all-island "implementation bodies". For example, food safety is managed by the Food Safety Promotion Board and Tourism Ireland markets the island as a whole. Three major political parties, Sinn Féin, the Irish Green Party and, most recently, Fianna Fáil, are organised on an all-island basis. However, only the former two of these has contested elections and hold legislative seats in both jurisdictions. Despite the two jurisdictions using two distinct currencies (the euro and pound sterling), a growing amount of commercial activity is carried out on an all-island basis. This has in part been facilitated by the two jurisdictions' shared membership of the European Union. Calls for the creation of an "all-island economy" have been made from members of the business community and policymakers so as to benefit from economies of scale and boost competitiveness.{{cite web archiveurl= h ttp://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.f orfas.ie/ncc/reports/ncc_ndp_submission/ncc061114_ndp_submission_dept_finance_webopt.pdf archivedate=2008-11-09 url=http://www.fo rfas.ie/ncc/reports/ncc_ndp_submission/ncc061114_ndp_submission_dept_finance_webopt.pdf year= 2006 title=National Competitiveness Council Submission on the National Development Plan 2007-2013 publisher= National Competitiveness Council accessdate=2008-11-07}} One area in which the island already operates largely as a single market is electricity{{cite web url= http://www.allislandmarket.com/about/ title= About SEMO date= work=allislandmarket.com publisher= Single Electricity Market Operator (SEMO) accessdate=2008-10-26}} and there are plans for the creation of an all-island Natural gas gas market.{{cite web url=http://www.belfasttelegra ph.co.uk/breaking-news/uk-ireland/politics/ dup-minister-expresses-support-for-single-gas-market-13442926.html date=2007-05-18 title=DUP minister expresses support for single gas market publisher= Belfast Telegraph accessdate=2008-10-26}} Support for such initiatives comes from the Irish government and Irish nationalism nationalist parties in the Northern Ireland Assembly.{{cite web url= http ://www.niassembly.gov.uk/io/agreement.htm date=1998-04-10 title=Agreement Reached in the Multi-party Negotiations publisher= Northern Ireland Assembly accessdate=2008-10-26}} Physical geographyGeography of Ireland Geology of Ireland}} {{seealso Climate of Ireland}} File:Ireland physical large.png right thumb 300px Physical features of Ireland A ring of coastal mountains surround low plains at the centre of the island. The highest of these is Carrauntoohil ({{lang-ga Corrán Tuathail}}) in County Kerry, which rises to {{convert 1038 m ft 0 abbr=on}} above sea level.{{cite web title =Frequently Asked Questions work=osi.ie publisher=Ordnance Survey of Ireland url=http://www.osi.ie/en/faq/faqs.aspx accessdate=2009-09-30 }} The most arable land lies in the province of Leinster.{{cite book first=Victor last=Meally title=Encyclopaedia of Ireland publisher=A. Figgis location=Dublin year=1968}} Western areas can be mountainous and rocky with green panorama panoramic vistas. The River Shannon, the island's longest river at {{convert 386 km mi 0 abbr=on}} long, rises in County Cavan in the north west and flows {{convert 113 km mi}} to Limerick city in the mid west.{{cite web title = Nature and Scenery work = Discover Ireland publisher = Tourism Ireland url = http://www.discoverireland.com/gb/about-ireland/nature/ accessdate = 2008-11-09 }} The island's lush vegetation, a product of its mild climate and frequent rainfall, earns it the sobriquet ''the Emerald Isle''. Overall, Ireland has a mild but changeable oceanic climate with few extremes. The climate is typically insular and is Temperateness temperate avoiding the extremes in temperature of many other areas in the world at similar latitudes.{{cite web title =Climate of Ireland work = Climate publisher = Met Éireann url =http://www.met.ie/climate/climate-of-ireland.asp accessdate =2008-11-11 }} This is a result of the moderating moist winds which ordinarily prevail from the South-Western Atlantic Ocean Atlantic. Precipitation falls throughout the year but is light overall, particularly in the east. The west tends to be wetter on average and prone to Atlantic storms, especially in the late autumn and winter months. These occasionally bring destructive winds and higher total rainfall to these areas, as well as sometimes snow and hail. The regions of north County Galway and east County Mayo have the highest incidents of recorded lightning annually for the island, with lightening occurring approximately five to ten days per year in these areas.{{cite web title = Rainfall work= Climate publisher = Met Éireann url = http://www.met.ie/climate/rainfall.asp accessdate = 2008-11-05}} Munster, in the south, records the least snow whereas Ulster, in the north, records the most. Inland areas are warmer in summer and colder in winter. Usually around 40 days of the year are below freezing {{nowrap 0 °C}} {{nowrap (32 °F)}} at inland weather stations, compared to 10 days at coastal stations. Ireland is sometimes affected by heat waves, most recently in 1995, 2003 European heat wave 2003 and 2006 European heat wave#Ireland 2006. In common with the rest of Europe, Ireland experienced unusually cold weather during Winter of 2009–2010 in Europe the winter of 2009-2010. Temperatures fell as low as -13°C (9°F) in some parts and up to a metre (3 feet) of snow in mountainous areas. File:Irl-Carrantuohill summit.jpg thumb left Carrauntoohil the highest peak in Ireland at Macgillycuddy's Reeks The island consists of varied geologic province geological provinces. In the far west, around County Galway and County Donegal, is a medium to high grade metamorphic and igneous complex of Caledonides Caledonide affinity, similar to the Scottish Highlands. Across southeast Ulster and extending southwest to Longford and south to Navan is a province of Ordovician and Silurian rocks, with similarities to the Southern Uplands province of Scotland. Further south, along the County Wexford coastline, is an area of granite intrusion intrusives into more Ordovician and Silurian rocks, like that found in Wales.{{cite web title = Geology of Ireland work = Geology for Everyone publisher = Geological Survey of Ireland url = http://www.gsi.ie/Education/Geology+for+Everyone/Geology+of+Ireland.htm accessdate = 2008-11-05}}{{cite web title = Bedrock Geology of Ireland work = Geology for Everyone publisher = Geological Survey of Ireland url = http://www.gsi .ie/NR/rdonlyres/0302F251-C4ED-4938-BCF0-CF228A3E8F6A/0/GSI_GeolIreland_A4.pdf accessdate = 2008-11-05}} In the southwest, around Bantry Bay and the mountains of Macgillicuddy's Reeks, is an area of substantially deformed, but only lightly metamorphic rock metamorphosed, Devonian-aged rocks.{{cite web title = Geology of Kerry-Cork - Sheet 21 work = Maps publisher = Geological Survey of Ireland year = 2007 url = http://www.gsi .ie/Publications+and+Data/Maps/Geology+of+Kerry-Cork+-+Sheet+21.htm accessdate = 2008-11-09}} This partial ring of "hard rock" geology is covered by a blanket of Carboniferous limestone over the centre of the country, giving rise to a comparatively fertile and lush landscape. The west-coast district of the Burren around Lisdoonvarna has well developed karst features.{{cite web author = Karst Working Group title = The Burren work = The Karst of Ireland: Limestone Landscapes, Caves and Groundwater Drainage System publisher = Geological Survey of Ireland year = 2000 url = http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/places/the_burren/burren_karst.htm accessdate = 2008-11-05}} Significant stratiform lead-zinc mineralization is found in the limestones around Silvermines and Tynagh. Hydrocarbon exploration is ongoing following the first major find at the Kinsale Head gas field off Cork (city) Cork in the mid-1970s.{{cite web title = Irish Natural Gas Market work = Story of Natural Gas publisher = Bord Gáis url = http://www.bordgais.ie /corporate/index.jsp?1nID=93&2nID=97&3nID=353&nID=363 accessdate = 2008-11-05 }}{{cite book last1 = Shannon first1 = Pat last2 = Haughton first2= P.D.W. last3= Corcoran first3= D.V. title = The Petroleum Exploration of Ireland's Offshore Basins publisher = Geological Society year = 2001 location = London page = 2 isbn = 1423711637}} More recently, in 1999, economically significant finds of natural gas were made in the Corrib Gas Field off the County Mayo coast. This has increased activity off the west coast in parallel with the "North Sea oil#West of Shetland West of Shetland" step-out development from the North Sea oil North Sea hydrocarbon province. The Helvick oil field, estimated to contain over {{convert 28 Moilbbl m3}} of oil, is another recent discovery.{{cite web title = Providence sees Helvick oil field as key site in Celtic Sea publisher = Irish Examiner date = 2000-07-17 url = http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/2000/07/17/current/bpage_2.htm accessdate = 2008-01-27}} Places of interestBrú na Boinne, Skellig Michael and the Giant's Causeway.{{cite web title = World Heritage List work=World Heritage publisher = UNESCO World Heritage Centre url = http://whc.unesco.org/en/list accessdate = 2010-01-01 }} A number of other places are on the tentative list, for example the Burren and Mount Stewart.{{cite web title = Tentative Lists work=World Heritage publisher = UNESCO World Heritage Centre url = http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/ accessdate = 2010-01-01 }} Some of the most visited sites in Ireland include Bunratty Castle, the Rock of Cashel, the Cliffs of Moher, Holy Cross Abbey and Blarney Castle.{{cite web url=http://www.failteireland& #46ie/getdoc/975fbac0-cf5d-4574-946e-26700b8a4efa/Tourism-Facts-2006.aspx title=Tourism Facts 2006 accessdate=2008-10-22 author= year=2006 format=PDF publisher=Fáilte Ireland}} Historically important monastic sites include Glendalough and Clonmacnoise, which are maintained as National Monument (Ireland) national monuments in the Republic of Ireland.{{cite web title = Search By County work = National Monuments author = National Monuments Service publisher = Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government url = http://www.archaeology.ie/en/NationalMonuments/SearchByCounty/ accessdate = 2010-01-01 }} Dublin is the most heavily touristed region and home to several of the most popular attractions such as the Guinness Storehouse and Book of Kells. The west and south west, which includes the Lakes of Killarney and the Dingle peninsula in County Kerry and Connemara and the Aran Islands in County Galway, are also popular tourist destinations. Stately homes, built during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries in Palladian, Neoclassical architecture Neoclassical and neo-Gothic styles, such as, Castle Ward, Castletown House, Bantry House, are also of interest to tourists. Some have been converted into hotels, such as Ashford Castle, Castle Leslie and Dromoland Castle. Giant's Causeway County Antrim File:Klosteranlage Skellig Michael.jpg Skellig Michael County Kerry File:Newgrange_ireland_750px.jpg ''Brú na Bóinne'' County Meath Flora and faunaFauna of Ireland List of the vascular plants of Britain and Ireland Trees of Britain and Ireland}} File:Irl-female red deer Killarney.jpg thumb right The red deer (''Cervus elaphus'') Ireland's largest wild mammal in Killarney National Park Because Ireland was isolated from mainland Europe by rising sea levels after the ice age, it has less diverse animal and plant species than either Great Britain or mainland Europe. Only 26 land mammal species are native to Ireland. Some species, such as the red fox, hedgehog and badger, are very common, whereas others, like the Mountain Hare Irish hare, red deer and pine marten are less so. Aquatic wildlife, such as species of turtle, shark, whale, and dolphin, are common off the coast. About 400 species of birds have been recorded in Ireland. Many of these are migratory, including the Barn Swallow. Most of Ireland's bird species come from Iceland, Greenland and Africa. Several different habitat (ecology) habitat types are found in Ireland, including farmland, open woodland, temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, conifer plantations, peat bogs and a variety of coastal habitats. However, agriculture drives current land use patterns in Ireland, limiting natural habitat preserves,{{cite web title = Land cover and land use work = Environmental Assessment publisher = Environmental Protection Agency year = 2000 url = http://www.epa.ie/whatwedo/assessment/land/ accessdate = 2007-07-30 }} particularly for larger wild mammals with greater territorial needs. With no top predator in Ireland, populations of animals, such as semi-wild deer, that cannot be controlled by smaller predators, such as the fox, are controlled by annual culling. Famously, there are no snakes in Ireland and only one reptile (the Viviparous lizard common lizard) is native to the island. Extinct species include the Irish Elk great Irish elk, the Irish wolf and the great auk. Some previously extinct birds, such as the Golden Eagle, have recently been reintroduced after decades of extirpation. Until medieval times, Ireland was heavily forested with oak, pine and birch. Forests today cover only about 9% (4,450 km² or one million acres){{cite web title = National work = Forest Facts publisher = Coillte Teoranta url =http://www.coillte.ie/coilltef orest/forest_facts/forest_facts_by_county/national/ date = 2008-11-05 accessdate=2010-01-01}} of Ireland, which makes it the most deforested area in Europe. Much of the land is now covered with pasture, and there are many species of wild-flower. Gorse (''Ulex europaeus''), a wild furze, is commonly found growing in the uplands and ferns are plentiful in the more moist regions, especially in the western parts. It is home to hundreds of plant species, some of them unique to the island, and has been "invaded" by some grasses, such as ''Spartina anglica''.{{cite web last=Hackney first=Paul url=http://www 6habitas.org.uk/invasive/species.asp?item=2680 title=Spartina Anglica work= Invasive Alien Species in Northern Ireland accessdate=2009-01-01 publisher=National Museums Northern Ireland}} File:Gorse-Ulex europaeus.jpg thumb Furze (''Ulex europaeus'') The algae algal and seaweed flora is that of the cold-temperate variety. The total number of species is 574 and can be divided as follows: * 264 Rhodophyta * 152 Heterokontophyta * 114 Green algae Chloropyta * 31 Cyanophyta Rarer species include:{{cite_journal last = Guiry first = M.D. last2 = Nic Dhonncha first2 = E.N title = The Marine Macroalgae of Ireland: Biodiversity and Distribution in Marine Biodiversity in Ireland and Adjacent Waters location = Belfast publisher = Ulster Museum year = 2001 journal = Proceedings of a Conference 26–27 April 2001 issue = Publication No. 8 }} * ''Itonoa marginifera'' (J.Ag.) (Masuda & Guiry) * ''Schmitzia hiscockiana'' Maggs and Guiry * ''Gelidiella calcicola'' Maggs & Guiry * ''Gelidium maggsiae'' Rico & Guiry * ''Halymenia latifolia'' P.Crouan & H.Crouan ex Kützing. The island has been invaded by some algae, some of which are now well established. For example:{{cite journal last = Minchin first = D. title = Biodiversity and Marine Invaders place = Belfast publisher = Ulster Museum year = 2001 journal = Proceedings of a Conference 26–27 April 2001 issue = Publication No. 8 }} * ''Asparagopsis armara'' Harvey, which originated in Australia and was first recorded by M. De Valera in 1939 * ''Colpomenia peregrina'' Sauvageau, which is now locally abundant and first recorded in the 1930s * ''Sargassum muticum'' (Yendo) Fensholt, now well established in a number of localities on the south, west, and north-east coasts * ''Codium fragile'' ssp. ''fragile'' (formerly reported as ssp. ''tomentosum''), now well established. ''Codium fragile'' ssp. ''atlanticum'' has recently been established to be native, although for many years it was regarded as an alien species. Because of its mild climate, many species, including subtropics sub-tropical species such as Arecaceae palm trees, are grown in Ireland. Phytogeography Phytogeographically, Ireland belongs to the Atlantic European province of the Circumboreal Region within the Boreal Kingdom. The island itself can be subdivided into two ecoregions: the Celtic broadleaf forests and North Atlantic moist mixed forests. The impact of agricultureurl= http://www.clarecoco.ie/Heritage/biodiversity.html title=Biodiversity publisher=Clare County Council accessdate=2010-01-01}}{{cite web url=http://www.belfas thills.org/minisite/adult_version/draftottersapmar07-2.pdf title=Otter Lutra Lutra work=Northern Ireland Species Action Plan publisher=Environment and Heritage Service format= PDF year = 2007 accessdate=2010-01-01}} "Runoff" from contaminants into streams, rivers and lakes impact the natural fresh-water ecosystems. A land of green fields for crop cultivation and cattle rearing limits the space available for the establishment of native wild species. Hedgerows however, traditionally used for maintaining and demarcating land boundaries, act as a refuge for native wild flora. This ecosystem stretches across the countryside and act as a network of connections to preserve remnants of the ecosystem that once covered the island. Subsidies under the Common Agricultural Policy, which supported agricultural practices that preserved hedgerow environments, are undergoing reforms.{{cite web title = CAP Reform - A Long-term Perspective for Sustainable Agriculture work = Agriculture and Rural Development publisher = European Commission url=http://ec&# 46europa.eu/agriculture/capreform/index_en.htm accessdate = 2007-07-30}} The Common Agricultural Policy, however, also subsidises some potentially destructive agricultural practices. Although recent reforms have gradually decoupled subsidies from production levels and introduced environmental and other requirements. Forest covers about 10% of the country, with most designated for commercial production. Forested areas typically consist of monoculture plantations of non-native species, which may result in habitats that are not suitable for supporting native species of invertebrates. Remnants of native forest can be found scattered around the island, in particular in the Killarney National Park. Natural areas require fencing to prevent over-grazing by Deer of Ireland deer and sheep that roam over uncultivated areas. Grazing in this manner is one of the main factors preventing the natural regeneration of forests across many regions of the country.{{Cite book first = Dick last = Roche authorlink = Dick Roche title = National Parks publisher = Seanad Éireann url=http://historical-debates.oireacht as.ie/S/0185/S�.html volume = 185 date = 2006-11-08 accessdate = 2007-07-30}} Seanad Éireann Seanad Debate involving Former Minister for Environment Heritage and Local Government HistoryHistory of Ireland}} Pre-history and medieval periodSea-levels were lower and Ireland, as with its neighbour Britain, were a part of continental Europe rather than being islands. Mesolithic stone age inhabitants arrived some time after 8,000 BC and agriculture followed with the Neolithic Age around 4,500 to 4,000 BC when sheep, goats, cattle and cereals were imported from the Iberian peninsula. At the Céide Fields, preserved beneath a blanket of peat in present-day County Mayo, is an extensive field system, arguably the oldest in the world,{{cite web url=ht tp://www.heritageireland.ie/en/West/CeideFields/ title=Céide Fields author=Heritage Ireland publisher=Office of Public Works accessdate=2008-10-23}} dating from not long after this period. Consisting of small divisions separated by dry-stone walls, the fields were farmed for several centuries between 3,500 and 3,000 BC. Wheat and barley were the principal crops. The Bronze Age – defined by the use of metal – began around 2,500 BC with technology changing people's everyday lives during this period through innovations such as the wheel, harnessing oxen, weaving weaving textiles, brewing alcohol, and skillful metalworking, producing new weapons and tools, and fine gold decoration and jewellery, such as brooches and torcs. File:Uragh Stone Circle.jpg thumb left Uragh Stone Circle The Uragh Stone Circle a Neolithic stone circle in Gleninchaquin Park, County Kerry The Iron Age in Ireland is traditionally associated with people known as the ''Celts''. The Celts were commonly thought to have colonised Ireland in a series of invasions between the 8th and 1st centuries BC. The Gaels, the last wave of Celts, were said to have divided the island into five or more kingdoms after conquering it. However, academics now favour a view that emphasises the diffusion of culture from overseas as opposed to a military colonisation.{{cite journal last = Oppenheimer first = Stephen title = Myths of British Ancestry journal = Prospect Magazine issue = 127 date = 2006-10-21 url = http://www.prospec tmagazine.co.uk/2006/10/mythsofbritishancestry/ accessdate = 2008-11-07 issn=1359-5024}}{{cite journal last1 = Mascheretti first1 = Silvia last2 = Rogatcheva first2= Margarita last3 = Gündüz first3 = Islam last4 = Fredga first4= Karl last5= Searle first5= Jeremy title = How Did Pygmy Shrews Colonize Ireland? Clues from a Phylogenetic Analysis of Mitochondrial Cytochrome B Sequences journal = Proceedings of the Royal Society volume = 270 issue = 1524 publisher = Royal Society location = date = 2003-08-07 url = http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1691416/ doi = 10/rspb accessdate = 2008-11-07 page = 1593 }} Finds, such as Clonycavan Man, given as evidence for this view. The earliest written records of Ireland come from classical Greco-Roman world Greco-Roman geographers. Ptolemy in his ''Almagest'' refers to Ireland as ''Mikra Brettania'' (''Lesser Britain''), in contrast to the larger island, which he called ''Megale Brettania'' (''Great Britain''). In his later work, ''Geography (Ptolemy) Geography'', Ptolemy refers to Ireland as ''Hibernia Iwernia'' and to Great Britain as ''Albion''. These "new" names were likely to have been the native names for the islands at the time. The earlier names, Exonym and endonym in contrast, were likely to have been coined before direct contact with local peoples were made.{{cite book first=Philip last=Freeman title=Ireland and the Classical World publisher=University of TexasPress location=Austin year=2001}} The Ancient Romans Romans would later refer to Ireland by this name too in its Latinised form, ''Hibernia'',{{cite web title = Hibernia work = Roman Empire publisher = United Nations of Roma Victrix url = http://www.unrv.com/provinces/hibernia.php accessdate = 2008-11-08 }} or Scotia.{{cite book last=O'Hart first=John title=Irish Pedigrees: or, The Origin and Stem of the Irish Nation publisher=J. Duffy and Co. year=1892 location=Dublin page=725}} Ptolemy records sixteen tribes inhabiting every part of Ireland in 100 AD.{{cite journal first1=R last1=Darcy first2= William last2= Flynn title = Ptolemy's Map of Ireland: a Modern Decoding journal=Irish Geography volume=14 issue=1 date=March 2008 pages=49&emdash;69 url=http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/section?content=a791562641&fulltext=713240928 Informaworld.com accessdate=2010-01-01}} The relationship between the Roman Empire and the tribes of ancient Ireland is unclear. Objective references that exist are from Roman writings whereas native accounts are confined to Irish poetry and myth. However, a number of finds of Roman coins have been found, for example at New Grange.Carson, R.A.G. and O'Kelly, Claire: ''A catalogue of the Roman coins from Newgrange, Co. Meath and notes on the coins and related finds'', pages 35-55. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, volume 77, section C Ireland continued as a patchwork of rival tribes but, beginning in the 7th century AD, a concept of national kingship gradually became articulated through the concept of a High King of Ireland. Medieval Irish literature portrays an almost unbroken sequence of High Kings stretching back thousands of years but modern historians believe the scheme was constructed in the 8th century to justify the status of powerful political groupings by projecting the origins of their rule into the remote past.Dáibhí Ó Cróinín, "Ireland, 400–800", in Dáibhí Ó Cróinín (ed.), ''A New History of Ireland 1: Prehistoric and Early Ireland'', Oxford University Press, 2005, pp. 182–234. The High King was said to preside over the patchwork of provincial kingdoms that together formed Ireland. Each of these kingdoms had their own kings but were at least nominally subject to the High King. The High King was drawn from the ranks of the provincial kings and ruled also the royal kingdom of Meath, with a ceremonial capital at the Hill of Tara. The concept only became a political reality in the Viking Age#Ireland Viking Age and even then was not a consistent one.{{cite book title=Tales of the Elders of Ireland year=1999 last=Roe first=Harry coauthors=Ann Dooley publisher=Oxford University Press}}{{cite book title=Early Irish history and pseudo-history year=1957 author=Michael Roberts et al. publisher=Bowes & Bowes Michigan University Press}} However, Ireland did have a unifying rule of law: the early written judicial system, the Brehon Laws, administered by a professional class of jurists known as the ''brehons''. ''The Chronicle of Ireland'' records that in 431 AD Bishop Palladius arrived in Ireland on a mission from Pope Celestine I to minister to the Irish "already believing in Christ." The same chronicle records that Saint Patrick, Ireland's best known Patron saints of places patron saint, arrived the following year. There is continued debate over the missions of Palladius and Patrick but consensus that they both took place{{cite book last = De Paor first = Liam title = Saint Patrick's World: The Christian Culture of Ireland's Apostolic Age publisher = Four Courts, Dublin year = 1993 location = Dublin page = 78, 79 url = isbn = 1-85182-144-9 }} and certainty that the older druid tradition collapsed in the face of the new religion.{{cite book last=Cahill first=Tim title= How the Irish Saved Civilization year=1996 publisher= Anchor Books isbn= 0385418493}} Irish Christian scholars excelled in the study of Latin and Greek learning and Christian theology. In the monastic culture that followed the Christianisation of Ireland, Latin and Greek learning was preserved in Ireland during the Middle Ages Early Middle Ages in contrast to elsewhere in Europe, where the Dark Ages followed the decline of the Roman Empire.{{cite book editor=Dowley, Tim, et al. title=Eerdman's Handbook to the History of Christianity year=1977 publisher= Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. location= Grand Rapids, Michigan language= isbn= 0-8028-3450-7}} The arts of manuscript illumination, metalworking and sculpture flourished and produced treasures such as the ''Book of Kells'', ornate jewellery and the many carved stone crosses that still dot the island today. From the 9th century, waves of Viking raiders plundered Irish monasteries and towns. These raids added to a pattern of raiding and endemic warfare that was already deep seated in Ireland. Norman and English invasionsNorman invasion of Ireland Tudor reconquest of Ireland}} File:Trim Castle 6.jpg thumb right Remains of the 11th-century Trim Castle in County Meath The largest Norman architecture Norman castle in Ireland. On May 1, 1169, an expedition of Wales Cambro-Norman people Norman knights with an army of about six-hundred landed at Bannow Bannow Strand in present-day County Wexford. It was led by Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke Richard de Clare, called ''Strongbow'' due to his prowess as an archer.{{cite web last = Chrisafis first = Angelique title = Scion of traitors and warlords: why Bush is coy about his Irish links work = World News publisher = The Guardian date = 2005-01-25 url = http://www.guardi an.co.uk/world/2005/jan/27/usa.angeliquechrisafis accessdate = 2008-11-08 }} The invasion, which coincided with a period of renewed Norman expansion, was at t |
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